Game or puzzle.



N0. 643,!70. Patented Feb. I3, I900.

J. C. TELLEB.

GAME 0R PUZZLE.

(Applicabisn filed. June 1, 1899.)

(N0 Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOA) Ma jg g Jamw 012wms NORRIS nzrzns co. morauwuWASHINGTON. B4 c.

STATES ATENT Prion.

GAME OR PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,170, dated February13, 1900.

Application filed \Tune 1, 1899. Serial No. 719,027. (No model.)

ing drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

This invention relates to games; and the purpose of the same is toafford amusement of a beneficial nature and also the application ofstudy and precision in solution or rearranging in predeterminedpositions by regular and consecutive moves after a disorganization ofloose pieces, and thereby physically benefit the solver in the line ofcalculation, as well as forethought, to attain the desired result.

The invention, generally stated, consists of a board of suitabledimensions having a playing-field with a central main alley and lateralrooms or compartments with partitions between portions of the same andthe alley provided with openings of varying dimensions, the board beingdivided for some uses into parts representing different countries, andtherein a series of movable pieces are employed, which are adapted to beshifted along the alley and into the compartments to properly arrangethem after a disorganization.

The invention further consists of the details of construction andarrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a boardembodying the features of the game and showing movable pieces inalinement therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of one of the movablepieces, showing the lettered side upward. Fig. 4 is a similar View ofone of the movable pieces, showing the bottom side upward and indicatedas colored, which will be the nature of some of the pieces.

Like characters of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a game-board,whichmay be of any suitable materialor dimension and having extendinglongitudinally through the center thereof an alley 2. On opposite sidesof the alley, at the center, are lateral rooms or com partments 3,numbered 1 and 2, and between the inner portions of the said rooms orcompartments are partial partitions 4 and 5, the partition 4 having anopening 6 therethrough of greater dimension than an opening 7 throughthe partition 5.

In the alley 2 a number of movable pieces 8 are slidingly positioned andcompletely fill the same in a longitudinal direction. These pieces, asshown, are lettered, commencing with the letter A and ending with Z, andthe opening 6 in the partition 4 is sufficiently large to permit twoonly of said pieces to be moved therethrough at one and the same timeinto the room or compartment No. 1, while the opening 7 is only largeenough for one of said pieces to pass therethrough into the room orcompartment No. 2.

In solving or working the puzzle as thus far described the letter r isremoved from its consecutive position, as shown in Fig. 1, and theletter A drawn out of its place and inserted at the point Where Z wouldbe normally located and Z placed in the position that A should occupy.The movable pieces are. then shifted in and out of the rooms orcompartments Nos. 1 and 2 to effect a repositioning of the said movablepieces bearing the letters A and Z in their proper places and at thesame time to consecutively arrange the letters from B to Y, inclusive.

During the process of the movement of the pieces necessary to attain theresult desired a great deal of study and calculation will be required inmaintaining all the pieces in such position that too great or complexmixture will not arise in order to keep said pieces in closerelationship as near as practicable and in accord with their positionsalphabetically.

At a certain time in the solution the movable pieces bearing the lettersA and Z will pass each other by first beingworked to the center and thentoward opposite ends.

This game or puzzle as thus far described may be properly termed an A BC puzzle, and to give some idea of the course to be pursued in workingthe same the pieces carry- HL777 I{,97 (J)? (N)! V, and W should befirst moved into the room or compartment No. 2, and then M, I, (II)?(E777 (A)? Z, (S77 moved into the room No. 1, it being necessary, ofcourse, to first obtain this combination of letters by a series of movesof the pieces. It is intended that the opening 6 be used to permit thepieces .A and Z to pass each other, and in reorganizing the severalpieces that bearing the letter Z must first be placed in its properposition, then Y, &c., which will be carried on only at the right end ofthe board. Then the letters A, B,

and C are likewise properly positioned at the left end of the board andconsecutively, the alley being filled in this manner toward the center,and close up the middle portion thereof last.

The game or puzzle can be converted into a war game, and for thispurpose the 'field is marked with the letters U. S. up to a lineadjacent the right end, where the word Spain is imprinted on the board,and the roomENo. 2 can be used to designate the Island of Cuba. Incarrying on the game or puzzle under this idea the pieces 8, which arecoloredon their under sides, as shown by Fig. 4, designate Spaniards andare transferred from'the right end of the board to the left end and thendriven back to Spain and out of room No. 2, representing the Island ofCuba. In working the game or puzzle after this method the same moves areadopted that is, to work from both ends toward the center and fill thelatter last.

It will be observed that in playing the game or solving the puzzle ineither instance the rooms or compartments 3 serve as relays to permitthe movable pieces to be shifted, and though the preferred form of theboard is illustrated it will be understood that the outline or contourof the same is not essential as long as the alley and the rooms orcompartments are preserved as shown. Also other characters might beimpressed or applied to the movable pieces and the game or puzzleutilized to demonstrate some other conflict.

Changes in the minor details of construction and arrangement might alsobe resorted to without in the least departing from the nature or spiritof the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A gameor puzzle comprising a board having a field arranged to form alongitudinal alley and lateral rooms on opposite sides of the center,said rooms being partially separated from the alley by partitions havingopenings therethrough, the openings difiering in width, and movablepieces adapted'to be shifted in the alley and said rooms orcompartments.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES CLARANCE TELLER. lVitnesses:

W. F. GIBBoNs, M. D. SooT'T.

